


Light of Life

by venomousdanger



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-06 10:57:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5414288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/venomousdanger/pseuds/venomousdanger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint needs some reassurance and Tony's the right person for it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Light of Life

Psychical and mental exhaustion was a shared trait when the weight of the world kept rotating to remind you it was there. They were superheroes but no glory or good intentions couldn’t keep away the insomniatic fear of death. Clint sat up, covered in sweat. It wasn’t his death that awoken him; it was his team’s. The idea that something could happen to one of the people he’d grown to love was enough of a nightmare to stick with him. The first number he called was the last one he talked too before trying to sleep. “Tasha?” On the other end was mumbled anger. “Are you awake?” The woman seemed instantly annoyed. “I must be, Clint, because if I were sleeping, I’d be listening to your screams as I torture you for WAKING ME UP!” The threat of personal pain made the imagined pain of his friends easier to deal with as he laughed. “You’re cranky when you don’t sleep.” Again, he heard shuffling- she must have rolled over. “I do sleep, you’re the one that doesn’t. I’m going to again. Goodnight.” His second thought was Tony. Despite time, the scientist was always doing something.

“You’ve reached the voice recording of Tony Stark- I just don’t want to talk to you right now” Blues were rolled at the message. “The one time you’ve ever been needed, Stark, and you’re not awake to answer the call?” The phone was hung up then answered on the ring back without checking the ID. “Hello?” “You needed me, Barton?” Tony was unmistakable with a tin can sound that only meant he was speaking through JARVIS like a speaker phone. “Poor choice of wording.” The blond wiped a blanket over his chest. “I couldn’t sleep and knew you’d be up doing something. So did I interrupt Blackjack or some ingenious new toy?” The tower had been awake for a half hour. Insomnia was built into the older man second only to his Arc Reactor. “First things first, Blackjack is a carnival game. It’s a game of tricks. I like more spontaneous games.” Hawkeye tired to wait for the second half of the thought but it didn’t come soon enough so he filled in the silence. “Do you, maybe, wanna meet me somewhere?” As much as his off-the-map solitude was missed he had to admit he liked being able to visit the tinman. “Sure. Let me just- J?” The lab took over in it’s own maintenance. “I’ll see you at Walker’s.”

Checking the time, they both thought to go incognito. Or, Tony went incognito where Clint went in casual clothes. Over-sized gear and baseball caps would keep the billionaire’s fans away and the less-constricting comfort let the marksman breath easier as they made their way to the neon lit door. “We’re sitting outside.” There was no room for negotiation once the younger male sat down. Tony huffed and joined him. “Is it in your shot calling to tell me why we’re here?” The waiter came out with menus and was waved away with the request of a couple of drinks. “Natasha couldn’t make it.” There was only room for one smartass and Stark already had to share the title with his iron personality. “I had this dream. We were on a mission and everyone else was-” Puppy eyes widened. “Dead?” It wasn’t completely unheard of that they’d share the feeling when they faced life or death nearly every time they got together. “So you’ve had it too?” Tony’s face explained that he had though he shook his head. “No. Though, it’s not really all that rare. Look what we deal with.” The second leader’s reassurance worked. “I just wanted someone around.” A smile was surrounded by dark scruff. “I guess I’m around.”

A sip was all that was missing from the blond’s soda before he yawned. All he needed was a phone call and some face time to disprove the nightmare. “Thanks.” His usual soft tone was slightly harder to hear. “Did you just thank me?” Second time in one night, Tony was going to make a big deal out of something he said. “Well… I’m getting tired. I may head back.” They both stood up at the same time. “You’re not getting off the hook that easily.” Shaking his head, the blond listened to the following words as he started walking away. “Are you going to follow me all the way home?” Either steps were slowed or sped up at the notion of going home together. “You mean I get to see your nest?” Always with the bird jokes.

The walk back was short before the self-driven car pulled up aside them. “This could make things faster.” It definitely sped things up and they were soon walking in the front door to the small place. “I like what you’ve done with the place. Not that I saw it before you got here-” Tony shrugged in his snooping. “And you haven’t been invited until now.” Pulling the layers off, Barton sat back on the bed. “I don’t know about you but I could use some actual sleep.” The form in bed was took in. “Okay, sleepover.” Clint hardly flinched as Tony lied down next to him. String damaged fingers touched over the highlighted lifeline. “Does that thing always glow.” Looking down at the contact he didn’t feel, the playboy nodded. “As long as I’m living.” Tony did it again. He’d somehow found the words the archer needed. Eyelashes fluttered over the blue beam until sleep set in.  
______________________  
Waking up alone, the bed was felt. Last night felt real. Standing up, the water finally echoed from the bathroom to catch his attention. He turned around to see Tony come out with a clean face. “I used your razor.” The archer turned away to smirk at how comfortable the leader could make himself anywhere. Just as he was about to tell the other to leave, Stark laughed. “Same time tonight?”


End file.
